A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
